Pleasants selected to the All-SEC softball first team, league’s Newcomer of the Year

LSU freshman shortstop Taylor Pleasants was named the Southeastern Conference Newcomer of the Year and Aliyah Andrews, Ciara Briggs and Shelbi Sunseri were honored with awards, the league office announced Tuesday.

Pleasants and Andrews, a senior centerfielder, were selected by the league coaches as All-SEC first team players in the infield and outfield respectively. Andrews leads the Tigers with a .368 average and Pleasants is behind her at .327.

Pleasants and Briggs, a freshman outfielder, were named to the All-SEC newcomer team, which is in place for 2021 only for student-athletes who were freshmen in 2020 and are now sophomores in 2021. Briggs has come into her own with a .326 average and .382 on base percentage, which ranks fourth on the team.

Sunseri, a junior designated player/pitcher, and Andrews were recognized on the SEC all-defensive team for their work in the field. Sunseri is one of the squad’s top pitchers with a 2.90 ERA. Andrews is the nation’s top outfielder with multiple jaw-dropping catches featured on SportsCenter’s Top 10.

All-SEC First Team

IF – Braxton Burnside, Arkansas

IF – Hannah Adams, Florida

IF – Charla Echols, Florida

IF – Jenna Laird, Missouri

OF – Elissa Brown, Alabama

IF – Taylor Pleasants, LSU

OF – Alexis Mack, Alabama

OF – Aliyah Andrews, LSU

OF – Kiki Milloy, Tennessee

P – Montana Fouts, Alabama

P – Mary Haff, Arkansas

P – Ashley Rogers, Tennessee

C – Bailey Hemphill, Alabama

DP/UT – Makinzy Herzog, Texas A&M

All-SEC Second Team

IF – Kaylee Tow, Alabama

IF – Danielle Gibson, Arkansas

IF – Erin Coffel, Kentucky

IF – Mackenzie Boesel, South Carolina

IF – Ashley Morgan, Tennessee

OF – Hannah McEwen, Arkansas

OF – Casidy Chaumont, Missouri

OF – Brooke Wilmes, Missouri

OF – Bre Warren, Texas A&M

P – Autumn Storms, Arkansas

P – Shelby Lowe, Auburn

P – Elizabeth Hightower, Florida

C – Kayla Kowalik, Kentucky

DP/UT – Kendyl Lindaman, Florida

All-SEC Newcomer Team

Lexi Kilfoyl, Alabama

Savannah Woodard, Alabama

Jenna Bloom, Arkansas

Maddison Koepke, Auburn

Julia Cottrill, Florida

Sydney Kuma, Georgia

Rylea Smith, Kentucky

Ciara Briggs, LSU

Taylor Pleasants, LSU

Paige Smith, Ole Miss

Paige Cook, Mississippi State

Emma Nichols, Missouri

Jordan Weber, Missouri

Kiki Milloy, Tennessee

All-SEC Freshman

IF – Sydney Cox, Auburn

IF – Erin Coffel, Kentucky

IF – Blaise Biringer, Ole Miss

IF – Jenna Laird, Missouri

IF – Rylen Wiggins, Texas A&M

OF – Makayla Packer, Auburn

OF – Sydney Chambley, Georgia

OF – Jayda Kearney, Georgia

OF – Bre Warren, Texas A&M

P – Shelby Lowe, Auburn

P – Maddie Penta, Auburn

DP/UT – Aynslie Furbush, Ole Miss

SEC All-Defensive Team

P – Shelbi Sunseri, LSU

P – Emma Nichols, Missouri

C – Autumn Gillespie, Ole Miss

1B – Danielle Gibson, Arkansas

2B – Hannah Adams, Florida

SS – Kenzi Maguire, South Carolina

3B – Charla Echols, Florida

LF – Casidy Chaumont, Missouri

CF – Aliyah Andrews, LSU

RF – KB Sides, Alabama

RF – Chloe Malau’ulu, Mississippi State

Player of the Year: Bailey Hemphill, Alabama

Co-Pitchers of the Year: Montana Fouts, Alabama and Mary Haff, Arkansas

Newcomer of the Year: Taylor Pleasants, LSU

Freshman of the Year: Jenna Laird, Missouri

Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Cailin Hannon, Tennessee

Coach of the Year: Courtney Deifel, Arkansas